1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wrench of the ratchet type adapted to drive or turn a socket or blade with clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of a handle.
2. The Prior Art
A number of ratchet-type wrenches have been proposed and used. These may be of the simple ratchet type in which a clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of a handle in relatively short repetitive sequence will drive a socket or blade in one direction. At each forward stroke of the handle the tool driver is rotated, but on the reverse stroke a pawl rides over a ratchet or toothed wheel and allows relocation of the handle for another forward stroke. Such wrenches are useful, particularly when the available space for handle movement is small; and rotation of the tool driver, to which may be attached a socket or screwdriver blade, is accomplished by a number of strokes of limited arc length. A serious limitation is, however, that such ratchet wrenches provide turning power to the tool driver only during a stroke in one direction, that is the rotation is not continuous. The return stroke is wasted as far as power application is concerned and serves only to relocate the pawls or dogs and the handle for another power stroke.
Additionally, wrenches have been designed which are geared to provide an increased torque to the tool driver so that its socket or blade may be rotated with increased power. Such wrenches may be provided with more than one set of gears so that the torque ratio may be varied. However, these wrenches, like the simple ratchet wrench described above, drive on a stroke of the handle in one direction only.
A wrench designed to apply turning force to its driver continuously in one direction on both clockwise and counterclockwise strokes of its handle would be advantageous in that it would substantially double the over-all speed of socket or blade rotation.